It is endemic to New Guinea and is found on the north coast of Papua in Indonesia and both north and south of the Central Range in Papua New Guinea.

[1] Common name Victoria archipelago frog has been proposed for it.

[1][2] Mantophryne lateralis is an abundant and widespread species that occurs in tropical rainforests at elevations below 1,450 m (4,760 ft).

It has direct development[1] (i.e., there is no free-living larval stage[3]).

There are no known threats to this species whose range overlaps with a number of protected areas.